


A Thousand Kisses

by Sapphire09



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Kisses, M/M, a dash of angst, and taste, for spice, mostly fluff tho'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-26 17:24:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12562428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire09/pseuds/Sapphire09
Summary: “Uh… so, how many kisses are we talking about here?”“A thousand is a good number."





	1. Kisses of the Day

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A Quiet Murmuration](https://archiveofourown.org/works/275828) by [cathedral_carver](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathedral_carver/pseuds/cathedral_carver). 



It’s been days since Tony last came out of his self-imposed isolation in his lab. By itself, it wasn’t something of concern, but when Bucky would wordlessly search for the genius’ presence in whatever room he entered, and the crushing disappointment in his expression after that before trying and failing to return his expression into something a little bit more neutral, it became a concern. More because ever since Bucky came to live with them, he’d been all deadpan and flat, neutral expression, even when he tried to deliver a joke. Made worse that it was also has been two weeks since Tony spoke even a word of greeting to Bucky. The rest of the team could feel the metaphorical cloud over Bucky’s head everytime they were in the same room as him.

It, as Clint had exclaimed, was  _fucking_  depressing. As if being a brainwashed assasin that have killed countless of people in the years he was active wasn’t depressing enough.

(Or whose hands have killed the parents of the very person that housed him, it was both very complicated as well as depressing, no one really liked talking, or even thinking about it)

The team didn’t even know when exactly Tony and Bucky got close, close enough that Bucky would feel sad and depressed when Tony began his silent treatment. Bucky has always been a silent guy, but only after the silent treatment began that they noticed how  _silent_  Bucky could be.

“So, why don’t you, I don’t know,  _apologize?_  Wasn’t that what you told me to do a few years back?” Steve said as he continued his push ups. Bucky was sitting on a turned chair beside him, head leaning down on folded arms on top of the back of the chair.

“Why did you think I was at fault?” Bucky said back, though it was more of a mutter that Steve only heard because of his super-soldier hearing. Steve held himself in plank position and gave Bucky the most deadpan look possible. Bucky sighed as he buried his head inside his folded arms, not caring when his forehead hit the metal one. He could use a bit of brain calibration right then, maybe even before he did what he did.

“I don’t even understand why you did what you did,” Steve said as he continued his reps. “You know as well as I do that he really doesn’t like being lied to, whatever the lie was. Added to that, you also put yourself and him in danger. You’re even luckier than me, you didn’t have to go through pain and heartbreak to know that. You just had to watch me.”

Steve would say Bucky was pouting, but Bucky would say he was frowning. Just frown, a manly, small frown. Steve also knew that apologizing was the first thing that already came up in Bucky’s mind, but considering the situation and Steve’s own history with Tony (and that massive, big, fat lie that almost destroyed everything if Tony didn’t have as big as a heart as he did), Bucky probably had a hard time with the  _how_. At least Bucky learned from Steve, sending a letter was  _so not_  the way to go.

“Do you even know what I did?” Bucky asked, half curious and half  _something else_. Steve just let out a sigh as he stopped his push up and straightened himself to sit on the floor.

“Word goes around, Buck. Danvers may not have to report anything to me, but Spider-man does talk to Kate, and Kate talks to Clint, who talks to Nat. Both of them also talks to everyone else. So yeah, I know. If I was in Tony’s position I’ll be angry at you, too.”‘

Bucky sighed again and burrowed his head in his arms deeper, his metal arms digging uncomfortably against his forehead.

“Look. Just go. Apologize. It’s been dragging long enough, and I’m tired of you moping around. Be a man, apologize, just do everything you told me to do, and you’ll be golden. It was a proven advice, proof currently present,” Steve said as he laid his back on the floor and started a few reps of sit-ups. He then heard a groan and a clatter from the chair. He notice Bucky now on his feet, glaring as Steve continued his exercise.

“I hate it when you’re right, even when it also meant I’m right, too,” Bucky grumbled out as he stalked his way out of the gym. Steve watched Bucky leave and shook his head, before resuming his sit-ups. 

* * *

“I’m sorry.”

Tony blinked slowly, trying to focus on the man that ambushed him right outside the bathroom door. This was why he usually used the bathroom in his lab  _damnit_ , so people don’t ambush him with  _conversations_ when he’s still half-asleep. And when he doesn’t know what he was supposed to apologize to or forgive.

Bucky, not quite wringing his hands yet, thought that maybe Tony didn’t hear. So, he said it again.

“I - I’m sorry.”

Tony blinked again, brain still in project mode, so he still have no idea what Bucky was apologizing about. He’s still trying to remember how to speak, per say.

Bucky took it as his cue to continue, his nerves already haywire and if he kept silent for much longer, he’d probably just - run.

“I’m sorry that I - failed our mission and put you in a hard position.” There.

Ah, now Tony remembered. He didn’t imagine doing this conversation in front of a bathroom, though. Oh, well. Needs, must. Besides, he missed talking with Bucky. But, he was still going to milk it. Bucky really scared him shitless back then.

“….And?”

Bucky gulped. “And - and for lying.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. Yeah, he was angry for that, but that wasn’t entirely why he was mad.

“And..?”

“…for endangering both our lives in the field.”

“…I think there were more, don’t you think?”

Bucky gulped again.

“I - I’m sorry. I got reckless and I thought I had a handle on everything. I just - wanted to prove I’m mission-ready. And I - was your partner in the field, you were supposed to trust me. But, instead I almost got you killed. I even got you in trouble with the Accord’s council. I- I’m just - sorry.”

Tony stared at the man in front of him, who’s one twitch away from fiddling wih his hands. Bucky looked so morose (at least, in super soldier assassin standard) that he wondered if he should just outright tell that the things Bucky mentioned wasn’t exactly why he was as angry as he was.

“Is that all you’re sorry about?” Tony still had to know. He watched as Bucky took on a more panicked expresssion. He clearly didn’t think there was more, which Tony would find concerning if he hadn’t done much of the same thing to Pepper or Rhodey years ago. Still doing it, even, but he'd like to think he'd gotten better.

“When you didn’t tell me about he enemies you’re facing, you put yourself in danger. I didn’t know when you’d need my backup or not. If I hadn’t checked on you anyway, you realize you could be dead right now. You didn’t need to prove to me your ability or your strength, especially in such reckless way. I already know you’re strong and what you can do. But, in the field, you need to tell me, as your partner, what was going on and how many enemies you’re actually facing. I did the same, didn’t I? Of course, if the problem was me -”

“No!” Bucky interjected. “No, I - it wasn’t you. I - yeah, I wanted to prove to you and everyone that I could do it. I wanted to show you that you can count on me to handle everything while you do your thing. I wanted to prove that - I can fight, I can do the mission.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “You realize what you did only made me unsure whether to trust you when you said the enemy was 10 instead of 100, and to not trust you when you said you’re fine, especially when I saw those broken bones?”

Bucky looked so dejected and Tony was actually tired of being angry. Bucky seemed to learn his lesson, but Tony didn’t think the recklessness will disappear anytime soon. Tony himself hadn’t been able to get rid of it, but at least he didn’t do it without thinking. Rhodey probably wouldn’t agree, though.

“I’m sorry.. It was - really reckless. I really thought I could handle it, but I should still told you about it…”

Tony nodded once. “Yes, you should.”

Bucky still looked dejected, but there was a hopeful shine in his eyes when he looked at Tony.

“So… are we good now?”

Tony would say yes, but Bucky did end up with broken bones and scared the hell out of Tony, so….

“No, not yet. You still owe me something. Let me think…”

Bucky frowned, curious. Tony didn’t actually know yet what he’d like Bucky to do for him, though. He couldn’t ask Bucky to clean something, he had bots for that. Something involving heavy lifting? Peter sometimes asked Tony to help him on his homework whenever Tony did something reckless, but he didn’t think he could ask the same of Bucky, considering he was the resident genius. Or maybe shoes, like Pepper did? Nah, he was the one with money. Something handmade? Yeah, probably. Origami, maybe? There was a kid at this one hospital that gave him one, and it made his day. ooh, maybe this 1000 paper cranes the kid’s sister told him about. That sounded nice.

“I can give you a kiss,” Tony heard Bucky mumbled out. Tony blinked and considered if he had misheard that.

“…What did you say?”

Bucky looked panicked again.

“I - nothing! I didn’t say anything!”

“No, you said something. What was it?”

Bucky then looked embrassed, slight pink dusting his cheeks.

“I said… I can give you a kiss. To pay you back. Or, you know, wash your cars. Or, maybe make you breakfast and lunch and dinner for the next 18 months?”

Tony blinked again.

“You’re on,” he said. Bucky looked visibly relieved.

“Oh, great! The food? I can do things with a skillet, fry, and steam things now, don’t you worry. I’ll make sure you can have variety for every day.”

Tony shook his head. “No, not that. Nice thought, but I was actually thinking about the kiss.”

Bucky  froze, eye wide and lips still frozen in his earlier relieved smile.

“….The kiss?”

Tony nodded, a mischievous shine in his eyes that Bucky wasn’t sure he liked or not.

“Yeah! But, maybe not just one. There should be more than one! Won’t be much of a punishment if it was just one, you know.”

Bucky didn’t seem to know what to do with his hands, now. His eyes also roamed around the room.

“Uh… so, how many kisses are we talking about here?”

Tony thought it over. If he couldn’t get the 1000 paper cranes, maybe -

“A thousand is a good number. Of course, you you don’t have to, if you don’t want to. Or if it was just a joke.”

Bucky’s eyes widened again. Tony grinned, wondering if Bucky would back down. Kisses were such an everyday thing, but it was also quite intimate. It didn’t seem like a big deal for him, but sometimes Bucky and Steve still had weird reservation on things like kisses. He wondered if Bucky would blush again.

To be honest, Tony thought seeing Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, the guy who was usually so stoic and expressionless, blush, was enough payment.

“Alright, one thousand kisses it is.”

Tony didn’t actually expect Bucky to accept it.

* * *

_Day 1_

“So, how are we doing this?” Bucky asked. Tony was still trying to process that yes, Bucky just agreed to kiss him 1000 times. Okay. No biggie. That seems nice.

“I guess… If we averaged around five times a day, we can reach the quota in day two hundreth, more or less. Friday can keep track for us.”

Bucky nodded. “Alright. Five kisses a day, two hundred days. Fine. I can do that.”

Tony nodded too. “Okay. Good.”

Bucky nodded again. “Mm-hmm…”

There was silence as they just stared at each other.

“So…. should we start now?” Bucky asked. Tony nodded again.

“Yeah, sure. Now is good.”

Bucky walked closer and leaned down, his movement was slow and hesitant as if he was giving Tony a chance to lean away. When Tony stood his ground, Bucky leaned closer and pressed his lips to Tony’s right cheek. It lasted for 2.3 seconds.

(Bucky wasn’t counting. He really wasn’t.)

When Bucky leaned away, there was a faint blush on his cheeks.

 _One_.

* * *

_Day 2_

Bucky lost his nerve after one kiss in the previous day, so today he woke up determined to get  _at least_  four kisses in. Or nine.

Even number are good, in Bucky’s opinion. Just to keep on schedule. Should be easier to see Tony now, that the silent treatment was over.

When Tony emerged into the kitchen, Bucky was ready with a cup of coffee on hand. No one else was in the room, considering most people that lived there was exercise freaks or just not a morning person. So, Bucky didn’t feel so awkward pressing his lips to Tony’s left cheek this time as he handed the cup of coffee. Tony just blinked at the coffee, seemingly not to notice the kiss, before smiling at Bucky.

“Thanks, Buck,” Tony said, voice still slightly hoarse from sleepiness. Of course Bucky had to kiss his cheek again, this time on the right.

Balance is good.

Later, he also sneaked in kisses when he was at Tony’s lab. He usually just sit there and played with Dummy as he watched Tony work. Sometimes, he also helped Tony to fetch things. After getting his two kisses of the day in, he felt a bit more confident. So, he kissed Tony a few more times as he handed some tools to Tony. Sometimes, Tony didn’t seem to realize it, but once or twice Bucky would get an indulgent smile.

When dinnertime rolled in, he got 8 kisses in. After dinner was finished and everyone went to their respective bedrooms, Bucky escorted Tony to his and gave him a kiss goodnight. This time, Bucky got another smile, sleepy yet also fond.

Bucky likes it.

Bucky went to bed with his own smile plastered on his face.

“What are you grinning about?” Steve asked when he noticed Bucky.

“Just happy Tony talked to me again.”

 _Ten_.

* * *

_Day 11_

The kisses fell seamlessly into their everyday life. It also seemed to make Tony fell into some kind of schedule. He would come into the kitchen at mornings for his morning coffee and kisses. If he had to leave for SI, Bucky would kiss him goodbye outside of Tony’s room. If Tony would spend his morning in his lab, Bucky would be ready with a tray of food and juice, and also get in another kiss. When lunchtime comes, Bucky would come into the lab again with more food and another kiss. Or, if Tony had been out all morning, Bucky would kiss him welcome. In afternoon, Bucky would bring a glass of water and fruits to Tony’s lab, along with another kiss. At night, after dinner, Bucky would kiss him goodnight outside his door.

After the third day, the kisses wasn’t always on the cheeks anymore. Sometimes, it was his forehead. Or, it was his eyelids. There was a time when Bucky kissed his nose or his temples too. Or, when Bucky was joking, he would kiss the top of Tony’s head to tease his height.

Tony thought the kisses were nice. The variety was good. It was fun, too.

Friday still kept track.

_Fifty three. Fifty four. Fifty five._

* * *

_Day 18_

Bucky was suprised none of team noticed their new ritual. But, considering the people they live with, only a few of them were morning people. The few morning people usually went for their run once they woke up, so the kitchen, when the first kiss of the day happen, was usually empty. The rest of the kisses also usually appen outside the team’s sight, usually in Tony’s lab or just around Tony’s space. So, maybe it wasn’t that weird.

It was weird when he realized it, though.

This morning, Natasha was already there when Bucky prepared Tony’s morning coffee, hidden in the shadows of the room where he wouldn’t have seen her if he didn’t have the training he has. She still looked perfect, not a hair out of place. But, she also looked soft, with a worn band t-shirt (it looked like Tony’s Bucky noticed with a weird, unexplainable pang in his sternum) and dark grey sweatpants. Bucky could see how tired her face was, wearing an expression that didn’t seem to know if it was miserable or just tired. Her eyes were also focused on him, probably because he was the only moving thing in the room. Bucky could feel his own training coming too close to his skin, Natasha’s guard coaxing his own guard up too. but, Bucky tried to keep himself relaxed, knowing there was no true danger around. Just instinct running wild.

“Nightmare?” Bucky asked as he poured coffee to Tony’s mug. Natasha didn’t acknowledge him, so Bucky thought it was one of those days when the Black Widow just wanted her solitude and peace, but then she nodded.

Bucky just hummed and nodded, knowing that he was probably the worst person to try to comfort her. He let her be, though he couldn’t relax as much as he liked with Black Widow’s focus all zeroed on him. He tried to ignore her stare as he put in sugar and creme, exactly to Tony’s liking. Tony should be coming in a few minutes anyway.

True enough, Tony came in, shuffling in with socked feet and thin t’shirt that looked like Bucky’s. Bucky was greeted with a smile when those sleepy eyes noticed Bucky, and those socked feet came shuffling towards Bucky, who held his morning coffee in front of him.

“Mmm, coffee,” Tony mumbled as his arms reached towards Bucky, or the coffee. Bucky gave the coffee to Tony with the solemnity of a knight presenting his sword to his king.

“There you go, Tony,” Bucky said before he leaned down and pecked Tony’s right cheek, his nose touching near his ear. Tony smiled again and muttered “Tickles,” before he downed his coffee slowly. Bucky leaned back, smiling too, and noticed Natasha staring wide-eyed at them.

It was an expression unbefitting to a Black Widow, really.

Bucky frowned, confused, and about to ask ‘What?’, but then Tony let out a long sigh of contentment after he finished his coffee. Also, today was Bucky’s turn to make breakfast, so he need to get on that.

“Hey, I’m planning to make pancakes for breakfast. What do you want on yours?”

Tony made a thoughtful sound. “Blueberries? Or maybe chocochip? can’t decide,” he said with a shrug. Tony still looked a bit listless, but he was already more aware than before he had his morning coffee.

“Sure. I’ll put in both in yours,” Bucky decided. He got another smile, before Tony seemed to remember something and stood up in panic.

“Oh, damnit! I have a meeting this morning! Pepper’s gonna kill me!” Tony exclaimed as he ran back towards the door, but he did look back at Bucky, as if regretting that he might not have time to eat breakfast. Bucky just smiled back.

“It’s okay. Go have your shower. I’ll pack your breakfast so you can eat on the way.”

Tony grinned and even hopped a bit as he exclaimed “Yes!”, running out of the kitchen with more energy he didn’t seem to have a few minutes ago. Bucky would too, if he has a Pepper on his heels like she did Tony.

Bucky almost forgot Natasha if she didn’t suddenly appear in front Bucky when he turned towards the fridge, eyes suspicious and glaring, not the way they had been before when they were just staring. Bucky almost brained her with his metal arm, but she swiftly dodged.

“What was that?”

Bucky was confused, she should know that people that tried to surprise him usually got brained. Clint, even Steve, had to learn that lesson the hard way. Bucky wasn’t sure that was what Nat meant, though. He tried to go around the redhead to try and open the fridge. No such luck, the woman was swift in blocking as well as dodging. Annoyed, he asked back.

“What was what?”

Natasha was annoyed right back, pointing towards the kitchen door where Tony had disappeared impatiently.

“That!”

Bucky still didn’t get it, so he tried to go around Natasha again. He needed to finish Tony’s pancake before the man finished his shower, so he needed to make it soon. With a manouvre befitting the Winter Soldier, he managed to get around the Black Widow. He even axclaimed an out-of-character “Ha!” in his success. Ingredients in hand, complete with a pack of blueberries and chocolate chips, he turned towards the counter to prepare for Tony’s pancake.

“That what?” he asked absently as he pulled out a skillet and heated it up.

“THAT! That thing with Tony! The coffee, the-breakfast! You don’t take request when it was your turn to cook, James!”

James turned towards her after he checked the skillet’s heat. Warm enough.

“The hell are you talking about?” he asked as he poured the pancake batter and put some chopped blueberries and chocochips on it. “If you want coffee too, there’s still some in the machine,” he flipped the hardened batter. “And I’m making pancakes for everyone.” He set the finished pancake to a plate and began to pur another batter, putting in just  the blueberries this time. “I don’t take request because it was too much of a hassle to make things differently” He set the finished pancake on top of the previous pancake. Then poured another batter again, this time putting only the chocochip. “There’s too many people living in here, Nat. I don’t have that much patience.” He flipped and then stacked the finished pancake to the previous stack, garnish them with more blueberries and crushed chocochips and poured down a spoonful of maple syrup on it.

Natasha was still looking at him strangely.

“What?” Bucky asked again as he rummaged around the shelf for a food container that can fit the pancakes. Bucky was too busy searching for a food container and some plasting fork and knife for Tony to bring with him that he didn’t realize Natasha never answered. When he looked back, contained and plastic utensils at hand, Natasha was still staring, something sad and wistful in her eyes. As he put the things he found on the container next to Tony’s pancakes, he had a feeling Nat wasn’t really looking at him.

“…Nat, you okay?” Bucky had to ask. The pancakes was still too hot to be put into the container yet, anyway.

Natasha blinked and looked at Bucky again. Something thoughtful passed on her face before her expression turned neutral. She lips parted slightly, but then she closed them again and just nodded, once. She then left the room without another word. Not long after she left, Tony came in, with hair perfectly combed and suits perfectly ironed. Bucky himslef was ready with a pack of breakfast containing fruits and the pancakes he just made.

With the usual kiss and after Bucky recieved the usual smile, Tony was off. After Tony left, Bucky noticed Natasha outside the door, no longer in her sleep attire. She wore her black bodysuit and looked as dangerous as her reputation was. She was watching him. When Bucky looked back, she almost looked  _challenging_ (that can’t be, right?) and she walked down straight the hallway, bypassing the kitchen door alltogether.

As he prepared to make pancakes for everyone else, deciding if they wanted blueberries or chocochip or whatever else they could put them in themselves, Bucky wondered what was all that staring about.

Bucky inwardly shrugged. After breakfast, Natasha seemed to behave like usual, even though Bucky did notice how Nat seemed to stare at him whever he entered the same room as her. But, Bucky didn’t heed it, since no one else seemed to notice it.

The rest of the day went on as usual. Since Tony didn’t return until afternoon, Bucky gave two kisses when Tony entered the lab and another before he went to sleep.

Despite Natasha’s weirdness, Bucky decided it was a good day, anyway. It was before he closed his eyes on his bed that he realized that was the first time someone from the team saw him kissing Tony. He opened his eyes and stared at his darkened ceiling for a minute and let himself feel weird about it, before shrugging it off and deemed it unimportant.

It was still a good day, so whatever.

_Ninety._

* * *

_Day 21_

Next one to see was Clint. He only saw it because he was crawling around the vent above Tony’s workshop when it happened. He would’ve seen it earlier, but he didn’t come near Tony’s space anymore, not since he returned. It didn’t feel right for him. But, nowadays, everyone seemed to get along fine, he figured maybe he could try. He can always turn back. And if Tony really didn’t want him crawling above his lab, something would happen anyway to prevent him. Maybe some cleaner robots will stab him in there. He was ready. He was prepared.

He wasn’t ready to see Bucky kissing Tony’s cheek. And, from how blase Tony was with the kiss, and how Bucky acted after, he didn’t think it was a new thing to happen.

He quicky went away from the view, away to Natasha’s room. The chant of  _what did I just see, what was going on, what the fuck just happened_  filling his head in his way to Natasha’s room.

Back in the lab, Tony asked Friday how many kisses it has been. Bucky and Friday answered at the same time.

“One-hundred-and-four, Boss” / “One-hundred-and-four!”

* * *

_Day 45_

Tony was in medical. He just woke up, still loopy on pain meds when he noticed Bucky, flesh hand holding his own as his head laid down on his arms on the side of the bed. Tony didn’t mean to wake him, but his fingers must’ve twitched or something, because Bucky suddenly straightened up and was on him.

“Hi,” Tony tried to say. He tried smiling, because Bucky looked so worried. There must be something appearing on his face, since suddenly flesh and metal arms came up to his face and Tony was attacked. With kisses.

Bucky peppered his face with kisses. Forehead, cheeks, nose, eyelids, everywhere but the lips, Tony thought regretfully. He couldn’t remember what happened, but it must be bad because Bucky had looked so worried.

“- hey -” Bucky kept kissing, his metal and flesh hands turning Tony’s face so his lips can reach the sides of his face, his chin, his jaws.

“ - so what - hey, wait -” Bucky didn’t  stop the kisses. Tony could hear the sound of a door being opened. And someone saying, “He should be fine now, just - okay, umm… didn’t see that coming.”

“ - Buck, there - wait a -” three, four, five kisses, before Bucky’s lips finally stop, hovering instead in the vicinity of Tony’s forehead. Tony tried to lift his head to see whoever was at the door, but Bucky’s position didn’t let him. He also couldn’t lift his head that much, anyway.

“Uhh…. Bruce?” he guessed. Bucky pressed another long kiss on his forehead before he leaned away, back to where he sat before. His flesh hand grasped Tony’s again, and Tony was grateful.

Bruce, however, was looking at them weirdly, Bucky  especially. Bucky didn’t say anything, his expression also betrayed nothing.

“So, what’s up, doc?” Bruce took a few seconds of that weird staring at Bucky before he turned his attention back to Tony. There was confusion there, but there was also Bruce Banner’s usual focus, and sympathy whenever someone was injured, all soft eyes, and calming tone.

“You broke arm when you tried to cushion your fall in the last mission.  Your armor cushioned most of the impact, but you lost a gauntlet in the fight, so when you fell, your right arm was unprotected. There was also damage to your ribs, but they were mostly bruises and some contusions in three different places. After two weeks rest, you should be fine.”

Tony groaned at the thought.

Tony whined and generally letting his displeasure known, but Bruce was unmoved. But, they did reach a compromise. Bruce will sign on his release if he stayed at the hospital for at least five days. Bruce wouldn’t let Tony sign himself off, even if he had to stay the night in the hospital. Luckily for Bruse, Bucky seemed to be on Bruce’s side on that matter, so he promised to keep an eye on Tony at all times. Bruce looked at Bucky weirdly again, before nodding once. After nagging at Tony again for around five minutes and reminded Bucky of what would happen if he didn’t watch Tony right, Bruce finally left the SHIELD hospital.

He wondered where the rest were.

After Bruce left, the room was silent. Bucky kept staring at nothing, but his grip on Tony’s hand was tight.

“So, how many kisses was that?”

Bucky finally looked at Tony. Tony tried grinning, but Bucky’s expression was still distracted.

“I don’t know. I didn’t count.”

Then it was silent again.

“FRIDAY?”

“My Iron watch got broken, probably with my phone too. She doesn’t have access in here, so…”

Silent again.

“Maybe twenty?”

“Twenty, huh? Felt like there was more.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But, just mark down whatever number you thought was good.”

“Okay. You don’t mind twenty?”

“No, Twenty’s good.”

“Okay. Twenty it is.”

Silent again. Tony was starting to feel sleepy again, but he couldn’t help thinking that Bucky was acting weird.

“Okay, what’s up with you?”

“Nothing.”

Tony’s eyes narrowed. He was already squinting to fight off sleep, but he can so tally narrow his eyes too. He probably looked riddiculous, but the corners of Bucky’s lips did lift slightly.

“It’s not nothing. Can’t be nothing. C’mooon, what’s on - _yawn-_  your mind?”

Tony tried blinking away the sleepiness. It worked a little. Just a little, though. He should at least listen to Bucky before he fell asleep.

“If I didn’t mess up, I would’ve been in that battle with you,’ Bucky said eventually. Tony’s sleep-rifled mind souldn’t parse what the hell Bucky was talking about.

“What the hell are - _yawn_ \- you talking about?”

Silent again. Tony already closed his eyes, but he still tried to listen.

“If I didn’t mess up the mission,  _our mission_ , I would’ve been there with you. If I just - If I did as I was told, If I had just  _told you_  and din’t try to show off, I could’ve been in that missioni and you didn’t have to get hurt.”

Tony thought he knew what Bucky meant, even through his sleepy mind. It wasn’t Bucky’s fault, but he was really, really sleepy.

“I wanna  _-yawn-_ say it wasn’t your fault, but - _yawn-_  I’m still reapin’ up on your apology…. so, - _yaaaaawn-”_

Tony thought he heard a chuckle, but he wasn’t really sure.

“It’s okay. I’ll still kiss you tomorrow. We had a deal, right?”

Bucky’s voice sounded so soft, so near…

“Promise….?” Tony mumbled out, not really quite as aware anymore. There was something warm and soft brushing his forehead and soft voice replying back.

“Promise.”

* * *

_Day 46_

Bucky stared at his phone. He looked at the number Friday sent him. He added the number they agreed on yesterday.

_Too soon. Too fast._

_Don’t rush. Be patient. Cut down the number._

But, he couldn’t help it. Tony was still healing, still hurting. Kisses made him feel better.

He tried not to do it when a team member visited. He was starting to dislike their looks when they saw him kiss Tony.

* * *

_Day 54_

Bucky won’t stop hovering. Tony understood the man was just worried, but it was a little bit annoying. Steve wasn’t that much better either.

“Look, I am capable of eating by myself! You don’t need to, I don’t know, watch me in case I brain myself with a spoon or something.”

Steve sighed, but he did relent and stepped back. Bucky didn’t, but he did shut up and just sat on the chair beside him, face still doing that frowny thing again. Tony rolled his eyes, thinking of stupid super-soldiers and their tendency to motherhen, before he tried to lift his spoon to his mouth and  _flinched_.

 _Damnit_.

Bucky glowered as he wordlessly took hold of the spoon from Tony’s fingers and fed him instead. It was quite humiliating. Steve just sighed, quite loudly, before he announced that he was going to find Bruce, and maybe this time Tony would consider some painkiller. And Tony was totally considering it, because  _ow_.

Bucky’s silence was a bit concerning, though. But, he still got his morning kiss. a couple, in fact. There was also a third on his nose just before Steve entered the room, so that was three.

Tony wondered how many kissed Bucky had already paid so far.

Tony wanted another kiss. Kisses did make him feel better, after all. And he was in pain. A little, but it was pain. And Bucky looked so…. _frowny_.

Tony sighed when the food was finished and Bucky took the empty plate to the sink. Tony stood when Buccky returned to his side and put his arms around the taller man. Tony could feel all those muscles tensing up, but they also soon relaxed, so he took it as permission to hold a bit tighter.

“It’s okay. I’m fine, see?“ Tony said, before he pressed his own lips to Bucky’s right cheek. It lasted for around two seconds.

“…you kissed me.” he heard Bucky muttered. He was still hugging Bucky, and he probably should let go soo, but Bucky was so  _warm_.

“mm-hmm.”

“ _You_ kissed  _me_ …”

Tony patted Bucky’s back twice before letting go.

“It’s fine. You can owe me one.”

Tony then turned and noticed Steve standing by the door. A weird look on his face. Like Bruce.

“Oh, hey. You got the painkiller?” Tony felt better already, but painkiller can probably help too. Steve kept staring, switching between him and Bucky, before he wordlessly gave a pill sealed in plastic and a small bottle of water, still sealed. Tony grinned.

“Hey, thanks!” he told Steve as he accepted the pill and water. He then left the room, considering a hot water shower to alleviate a bit of his pain too. Or just sleep.

He didn’t see Steve staring at Bucky, and Bucky staring back.

* * *

_Day 61_

While he was still on cast, Tony noticed Bucky didn’t keep his kisses on the 5 times a day mark anymore. After the cast was off, Bucky kept kissing him 10, 12 times a day. Or more.

He didn’t seem to care it was in front of a teammate anymore either. Anyone who saw it always had this weird look on their face, and it was usually directed towards Bucky more than Tony. Bucky seemed to know something, but he wouldn’t tell. Tony was curious, but everything has been going on nicely lately, and he figured if anyone have a problem with this thing between him and Bucky, someone would speak to him.

Tony also wondered, with all the kisses, why was there none on the mouth yet.

He also wondered if Bucky still kept track.

“So, how many has it been?” he asked on day 61, curious if his answer and Friday would still match.

They did.

The number was also larger than Tony had liked.

“Huh, that’s almost halfway there,” was all he said. Tony didn’t know what to do with the sense of disappointment.

* * *

_Day 70_

Their second mission together was a success. This time, the way they worked together was perfect, and Tony couldn’t have been prouder. The Accord’s council even finally deemed Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, mission ready.

Once they got home and Tony was out of his suit, he jumped Bucky and hugged him, even jumping up and down a little in his excitement. Bucky also laughed with him, even peppering him up with a few kisses. When the excitement died down, Tony still grinned, but Bucky’s smile turned into troubled one.

“Uh… so, you’re still okay with our deal?”

Tony blinked.

“Yeah, sure,” he replied, then blinked again. “Why? Are  _you_  still okay with it?”

Bucky nodded a few times. “Yeah, yeah. I am”

Tony’s head tilted. “Okay…”

“Yes…”

“Good….”

Bucky kissed his forehead. then his right temple. then his cheek and jaw.

“...okay.”

* * *

_Day 77_

Bucky stared at his phone.  _It wasn’t possible. It can’t be_.

532\. More than halfway.

Bucky gripped his phone, glad when it wasn’t broken. Disappointed when it didn’t even crack.

He could feel Steve staring at him.

He didn’t want to talk about anything.

* * *

_~~Day 78~~ _

Bucky imagined Tony’s lips before, ever since they started the whole kissing thing. He imagined himself kissing those  _lips_. He imagined the warmth of them against his own lips, their  _taste._

He got his wish today. Tony’s lips were soft.

 _So soft_ …

He just wished he could feel them breathe against his lips, too. And preferably not as cold.

**TBC**


	2. Lots More Kisses

 

 

> _previously:_
> 
> _~~Day 78~~ _
> 
> _Bucky imagined Tony’s lips before, ever since they started the whole kissing thing. He imagined himself kissing those lips. He imagined the warmth of them against his own lips, their taste._
> 
> _He got his wish today. Tony’s lips were soft._
> 
> _So soft…_
> 
> _He just wished he could feel them breathe against his lips, too. And preferably not as cold.  
>  _

_Four Hours Earlier…_

_“_ What about the Bahamas?Imagine it, the waves, the beach… The  _sun_. Remember sun? I miss sun. I can’t believe I said that, but  _sun!_ More importantly _, warmth!”_

Bucky would exclaim his vehement agreement if he wasn’t so busy facing the ten - or twenty (reinforcement, how the hell did the reinforcement arrive?) androids in Hydra uniform that just seemed to  _keep going_  even after Bucky ripped out their heads, like headless zombies. Whatever part of the Bucky ripped away, they just stood back up and attack with whatever limb they got left on them.

It was cold, extremely cloudy, and they were in the only part of the world where it already started snowing, so added to the seemingly infinite number of zombie-robots, they also had to be careful on their footing so they won’t slip and bear with the  _fucking cold_.

“Chatter, Hawkeye! Tony, can you find what controlled these robots?” Steve sounded frustrated by now, which Bucky could understand. He didn’t much care for the cold either.

“Always ordering me around, Cap. You should - Found it! I’m heading out there right now! Sam, cover me!”

Bucky saw in the corner of his eyes as the red-and-gold figure - probably the only bright color in the sky right now - went off to a different direction and the horde of flying robots that Tony had fought off before was about to follow, but then Sam directed their attention to himself, but a few stragglers managed to follow Iron Man’s trail anyway. Bucky chose to pick a moment when he was shooting off his own horde to shoot those that followed Tony off the sky. That decision created a chance for one robot nearest to his flesh arm to reach, but Bucky managed to counter it so he only got a scratch intead of a ripped and bloodied arm.

“Thanks for the cover, Terminator! But please, don’t do that again,” Tony cheerfully said through the comms.

“Whatever you say, doll,” Bucky said cheerfully (at least for his standard) back as he continued fighting off the horde of robots.

Natasha, who was fighting by his side, glanced at him weirdly, which was  already a norm nowadays, especially whenever he was being sweet to Tony in their sight, either when he was kissing the man (452 more kisses to go, how time flies, Bucky thought dreadfully despite never able to control himself to cut down on on the kisses just so they can last  _longer_ ) or when he simply called Tony with his own version of nicknames. Honestly, Bucky had no idea what their problem was and he didn’t think he cared either, since they haven’t said anything to him. 

“Chatter,” Steve reprimanded, though Bucky could hear that ‘ _something weird_ ’ in his voice, too. While Bucky could ignore it when the rest of the team were the ones doing it, when it came from Steve, Bucky couldn’t help but feel slightly hurt. It wasn’t anything Bucky couldn’t brush off, though. Steve was probably just worried about him. A weird way to go about it, but Bucky was pretty sure none of them meant it the way they came across as to Bucky, especially Steve.

_(Passive-agressive, waiting in silence with the kind of face that looked more fitting if they were watching a ticking bomb, on it’s way to go off and they were contemplating the best ways on how to stop it, wondering if it was too late to find cover instead)_

As his metal arm ripped another part of  one of the android’s body, Bucky thought it was such a shame for the team to be so guarded, when nothing was actually going on between him and Tony. He wanted to put a  _yet_  in that thought, but Bucky didn’t think it was much of a possibility. (But, the team seemed to think it was possible, despite the weird looks, so  maybe? But since no one said anything, not even Steve, not a word of support or warning so he didn’t know what to make of that) 

He punched the next robot much harder to compensate for the conflict of emotion he was feeling. He was about to deliver another punch before the androids suddenly trembled and their lights flickered, before they went dark completely. One by one they fell to the ground. The ones left standing were the rest of the team, the Avengers. Everyone grinned to each other, Black Widow already started bantering with Hawkeye, and even Bucky wasn’t exempted from letting his own grin show.

 _(Any minute now, that_ whoomph _of excitement, the smug and adorable laughter -)_

“Iron Man, the androids are down. Good job, Shellhead. Where are you?” he heard Steve said through the comm, relief and giddiness of a mission well done filled his tone.

_(One second, two, there will be a banter, mutual teasing and post-fight jokes -)_

_Silence._

From his position, Bucky could see clearly how Steve’s earlier smile turned into a frown.

“Iron man? Do you copy? Falcon?”

 _Silence_.

“Iron man! Falcon!”

When there was still no response, the group as one quickly ran towards they last seen Falcon and Iron Man. Once they reached the point where they last spotted Falcon, they soon spread out, with Steve and Bucky heading towards where Tony headed before. They ran side by side without much words, straight ahead until they saw a large body of water they were never informed of before, and a suit of red-and-gold armor lying on the shore, unmoving and the blue light of the arc reactor was off. 

Quckly, they went to the armor’s side. But, none of them dared to open the suit just yet until either Friday or Tony himsellf tell them otherwise, in case Tony needed the support of the armor if he broke a bone or two. Bucky wanted to at least rip off the face plate to see Tony’s face, hoping -

“Tony, are you okay?”

There was a clang from inside the suit and a muffled grunt, but they couldn’t hear any reply from Tony. Concerned, they glanced at each other and tried to call him again.

“Tony, are you alright? Can we remove your suit?” Steve asked.

Another clang, more muffled grunts, but no words that either of them could understand. Afraid that perhaps Tony had his speech compromised somehow, but still unsure if the helmet wasn’t supporting a headwound, Bucky tried for something simple.

“You can still make noise, Tony. If you can hear us, make one noise for no and twice for yes. Are you alright?”

Two clangs. Both Bucky and Steve sighed in relief.

“Can you open your armor, Tony?” One clang. So, Friday was compromised too, but Steve didn’t know if there was any latch on the armor or an overide code, neither did Bucky. But, considering the man was fine and communicating, they’d like to believe opening the armor wih force should be okay. At least the face plate. Communication would become easier after.

“Okay, well take off your face plate first, okay. Brace yourself,” Steve reached for the plate and pulled it off. Bucky wished he was the one to do it, just so his face was the first thing Tony would see, but Steve was closer. It didn’t look like ripping hte face plate was easy, since he saw the strain on Steve’s arms as he tried to tip it off, so much that he even stumbled when it finally came off. Bucky heard a gasp of breath, but when they looked at the maskless face, they didn’t see Tony.

“Sam!? What the - why are you in Tony’s suit?” Steve asked, panic now coloring his voice. Because, then where the hell was Tony? Bucky wasn’t faring better either. Whatever slight relief he had now gone, replaced with raging panic and worry.

“Shit, you haven’t found him!? He was -” Sam haven’t moved, can’t probably, but his eyes flicked towards the water and that was all Bucky needed before he ran and plunged himself into the freezing water. “ - falling into the lake- shit, wait, help me get up!” was the last thing Bucky heard right before water muffled his hearing.

The water was cold. So cold. It took him a few moments before he finally managed to control his body reaction and concentrated on swimming deeper. His metal arm certainly made the journey  to the lake’s floor easier. It wasn’t meant for a swim, but it was certainly designed to be adaptable. Just -

_(It was so fucking cold - fuck)_

When he almost reached the floor, something membrane-like formed from around the neck of his armor, creating a some kind of air bubble around his head, filled with oxygen. Probably an emergency measure, though Bucky didn’t remember when Tony had installed it, yet he was thankful all the same. It made it easier for Bucky to keep searching.

Bucky swept through the bottom of the lake, trying to find even a vaguely humanoid shadow that might be Tony. It crossed his mind that if Tony haven’t floated up, he could either be stuck or -  _something else might be in there_.

Bucky didn’t know how long he was underwater, but everything felt so  _slow_. His eyes were trying hard to look through the blurry landscape as he kept his metal arm to stay unsunk. But, finally,  _finally_ , Bucky saw  _something_.

He saw a kind of machinary, and three robots lying dead near it. Bucky didn’t care much about them, since one of the robots held something much more important.

There was Tony, floating yet unmoving, one of his foot held tight by the dead and heavy robot. His eyes were closed, unconscious.

Bucky sped up, his flesh hand touched Tony once he was floating right beside him, but the man didn’t open his eyes. He could feel the weak pulse thrumming under the skin, but it was so  _slow_. Without wasting any more time, he dove under Tony and smashed the stupid piece of robotic junk with his metal hand and quickly brought Tony back to surface, metal arm firmly hooked and locked around his waist as he used his flesh arm and his legs to swim up. The weight was  _excruciating_  on his left shoulder, but he didn’t pay it any mind. It wasn’t an unfamiliar pain. No, the one in his heart was more  _painful_ , as the body in his metal grip felt less alive and more  _dead_.

_(No, there was a pulse -)_

But, even once his head was out of the water, Tony didn’t gasp, or  _breathe._

His heart felt like it was trying to get out of his ribcage as he tried to stay above the water surface, the protective bubble had long since disappeared once his head were no longer underwater. The weight in his arm as well as his own arm kept dragging him under, his legs and flesh arm felt like they were trying to  _rot_  themselves under the cold water as he tried to swim towards the shore. He went to the direction where he saw Steve was waiting, where Clint and Natasha had also apparently arrived and Sam, Iron Man chestplate still stuck to his torso.

Steve and Clint helped him to bring Tony up and laid him to the ground before they pulled him up too. Just as his knees touched the ground he quickly crawled towards Tony, Sam already on his knees beside him him, checking for breathing and pulse, as well as cleaning the mouth from whatever debris might have gotten in and water, but unable to do much that needed bending down for long because of the weight of chestplate. Bucky, however, already went to action. He tilted Tony’s head back and lifted the chin, before pinching the nose and covered Tony’s mouth with his and blew the air in his lungs into Tony. He concentrated on Tony’s chest, seeing it rise as he breathed. He leaned back, took a breath, then locked his lips with Tony’s again and  _breathed_.

( _Please, plase, breathe -_ )

His fingers searched for a pulse -  _numb, cold fingers, how could he feel at all? -_  then he felt the slightest heartbeat, the thrum of Tony’s pulse -

But Tony still wasn’t breathing.

As he continued blowing air into Tony’s lungs, he didn’t notice the quinjet arriving. He didn’t notice Bruce running towards them. He didn’t notice as Sam telling him to let Bruce handle it from there. He barely noticed Steve trying to pull him away from Tony. 

 _Tony wasn’t breathing_.

_(Tony’s lips were cold, so cold, - )_

_[This wasn’t supposed to be how Bucky should feel the softness of Tony’s lips. He could barely register them, couldn’t even notice, not through the cold and how Tony wasn’t_ breathing against his own  _lips_ _.]_

Then,  _then_ , something miraculous happened.

Under him, Tony suddenly jerked. Bucky quickly moved him into recovery position as Tony vomitted water. Bucky helped him to straighted up as he coughed and hacked, and for a second, Tony’s not-entirely-lucid eyes met his, before they closed again and Tony lost consciousness.

Bucky stared at the steady rising and falling of Tony’s chest as Sam and Clint moved the unconscious (but breathing,  _breathing_ ) man into a stretcher and transported back to the quinjet. Then, Bucky noticed something was put around his shoulder. He stared at the soft, fluffy  _orange_ thing, brain still haven’t quite registered what it was and why it was there. After the haze of  _Tony’s alive, Tony’s breathing, Tony will be fine_ , faded quite a bit, then he computed the soft, warm blanket around him. Then, he noticed Steve behind him, hands hovering and face full of worry.

“Bucky, you’re okay? Your skin is freezing.”

Natasha was there too, watching. He also realized that, yeah, he was freezing. He felt himself shivering. He tried to stand, Steve was quick to hold on his right elbow when he stumbled and helped him stand. After he was steady on his feet, he gently released himself from Steve’s hold,

“I’m okay,” he said. But, the cold still lingered. Steve was hovering, and Natasha was too. She was just more subtle about it. Bucky tried to step forward, managed, and continued to march towards the quinjet. Behind him, Steve quietly fretted, whispering loudly to Natasha, who looked at Bucky with an expression that was trying to stay indifferent, but the worry still leaked through. Bucky didn’t care, not yet. Not right now.

 _(He was so_ cold.)

* * *

When Tony came to, the first thing he noticed was the warmth.

The second thing he noticed was the medical room of the compound, which also translated as  _fuck_.

The third thing was  _there is a person in my bed._ A glance to his side told him what he already suspected.  _Bucky’s in my bed_.

_Why is he in my bed?_

Of course, the man didn’t have the grace to be asleep either. In fact, his eyes were open and staring right at Tony.

“Umm,” was the smartest thing Tony said all day. His mind was still trying to catch up since, apparently, Bucky was cuddling him. Flesh arm right across Tony’s chest while the metal arm was folded between them, one leg curled around Tony’s knees. 

Tony didn’t know if he was feeling relieved or disappointed they weren’t naked. ( _Who was he kidding, he was disappointed. Whatever)_

Tony stared at Bucky, and Bucky stared back.

“So….,” Tony started, “not that I’m not happy to see you, because I am, but why are you on my bed?”

For a moment, Bucky didn’t answer. He kept staring. Tony, however, wasn’t as strong and blinked before his eyes glanced anywhere that  _wasn’t_ Bucky’s face, feeling awkward.

“Uhh, any reason why you’re staring at me like I killed somone’s dog?”

“Sam told us what happened,” Bucky said suddenly, forcing Tony’s focus to go back to him. Tony started to remember what happened too.

“In my defense, it really was the best thing I could do in that situation. I didn’t actually  _mean_ for my leg to get stuck to stupid metal robot hand.”

Bucky didn’t immediately reply, so Tony kept talking.

“I mean, my suit  _was_  designed to withstand extreme falls. Just, after Rhodey, I just have to make sure it never happens again. Only, well, it only applied to  _my suit_. And Rhodey’s. And when the thing exploded and took out all of out technical things, though in our case it was mostly the falcon wings, the wave kinda did something too so he couldn’t glide safely to ground. My suit also got compromised, I only had time to do one thing, and I knew I would be heading towards water while Sam was heading to ground.  _Of course_  he was gonna need it more than I did. Sure, he was gonna get trapped in there for a bit, coz lack of power, and the suit was pretty heavy. Without power, it was just a person-shaped metal coffin. Then again, hey, better trapped than dead, right? Only, I didn’t think one of the robot would be still active either. It was probably the mother robot or something, and it grabbed my ankles just before it flickered and became more of a dead weight. Its grip was pretty solid and before I knew it, the thing quickly dragged me to the lake’s floor. The lake was pretty cold, I hated that. Then, I couldn’t hold my breath that long so I lost consciousness under there, but hey, you guys got me out! All’s well that ends well, right?”

Tony grinned, but Bucky didn’t so much as twitched. Usually, Bucky would offer a smile back. Or a kiss to the cheek. Tony also remembered the kisses that rained on him the last time he got into hospital. Sure, there was no cuddling then, but the kisses really were nice. He wondered why there was none this time. He got too used with the kisses, so he was kinda bummed Bucky haven’t kissed him yet, now that he woke up. The cuddling was fine though, Bucky was really warm, though he looks kinda grim. Not his usual grim, but grim  _grim_.

Wait a minute, was Sam not okay, after all?

“Sam’s okay, much better than you, in fact. After we pried all of your armor pieces of him, he was right as rain,” Bucky said, as if he read the words on Tony’s face. Bucky had been good in doing that lately, Tony didn’t know if he should be faltered or offended that Bucky had gotten so good at reading him. He decided on being flattered though and smiled.

“Oh, that’s great! Not great about the armor, because I don’t think you meant that as  _prying off carefully and with consideration of Tony who will have to repair it later,_  but the rest was great!” Tony grinned, but Bucky’s expression still haven’t changed. Also, his hold on Tony seemed to get  _tighter._

 _“Err…_  Bucky?”

“ _That’s great_? That what you thinkin’? That it was  _great?”_.

Tony blinked.

Bucky sounded upset.

“Uhh… yeah?”  _why is Bucky looking so murder-y? What did he do? “_ I mean, Sam was fine, I’m fine, and hey! Everybody got out okay. Another win for the Avengers, right?” Tony grinned again. The growl intensified so Tony stopped grinning. He frowned when Bucky carefully extracted himself from Tony and he couldn’t help but whine at that. It was colder now that he didn’t have Bucky’s warmth anymore. For someone dubbed as the Winter Soldier, he was really warm. Well, at least Bucky was still holding his hand. He’d really like Bucky to come back, though. He would like to sleep surrounded by that warmth again, though he didn’t think he’ll get it anytime soon…

“You know what I’m thinkin’ Tony?” Bucky started, glaring so murderously that Tony felt a little bit afraid, but not really. Bucky glares so much that Tony thinks he was already immune by now, though granted he rarely had one of those glared  _directed_  at  _him. “I_ think that it  _wasn’t_  great _._  It was  _horrible_ ,  _terrible_ , and it was the worst thing that I ever had to  _do_  in my  _entire life.”_

Tony stared with wide eyes, still a little confused because he couldn’t understand why Bucky was so angry. In the face of something he couldn’t quite understand, of course Tony had to point out the little inaccuracy.

“I don’t think it was  _actually_ the  _worst -”_

“ _The Worst_ , Tony.  _THE. WORST_. It doesn’t even compare to HYDRA because  _that_ I can handle. I _have_ handled it. But that stunt you pulled? God, I had to fish you out of the  _freezing_   _water_ , and you weren’t breathing.  _You were fucking as cold as a corpse_ , Tony! Hypothermia already set in when I got you above water, your lips were blue and cold, you wouldn’t breathe even as I  _tried_  my hardest trying to  _breathe_  some air back into your lungs and I could barely feel your heartbeat! And, because Sam was the only one that knew you went underwater, we didn’t know until  _after_  we pried the helmet off, thinking he was  _you_ while Clint and Nat went searching  _uselessly_ for Sam! We thought you and Sam got separated, we  _wasted time_  that you didn’t  _have!_  Do you even realize how close you were to  _dying_?”

Tony watched as the anger slowly faded into the most heartbreaking expression he didn’t know bucky have. The hand clutching his own was shaking and even though Tony didn’t see any tears, Bucky seemed to be close to crying. And that’s…

Tony doesn’t like that.

“I’m….sorry,” Tony said slowly, hand gripping back as hard as he could. “I’m sorry I scared you. You're right, that was awful.”

Tony tried to twist his body a little, his other hand reaching out, silently asking for Bucky’s other hand. The hand clutching Tony’s was still shaking, and the other hand that reached back weren’t much better. 

“You need to fix your helmet. It would be easier if we had known sooner what Sam was trying to tell us, but the dead helmet made it impossible for us to hear him.” Bucky muttered, frowning.

“I had to reinforce and padded it a bit, so his head wouldn’t be crushed in the helmet when he reached ground and with the power in total shutdown. There was a - you know what, I’ll fix it.”

With both hands in Tony’s own, he tried to lightly pull the man towards the bed, which Bucky followed without even an ounce of resistance.

“…warm me up again?” Tony asked softly. Bucky still had his eyebrows furrowed, lips slightly pouting, but he carefully shuffled up to the bed and took his previous position, cuddling Tony and making him warm from head to toe.

“I really am sorry, I didn’t think it would be that bad for you,” Tony said again, now that they’re face to face on the bed. “Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”

Bucky shuffled closer, their noses touching, their breaths mingling, and Tony couldn’t look away from the startling steel-blue eyes that only now Tony realized have been looking at him with  _love_.

“Kiss me,” Bucky whispered. “One thousand kisses.”

Tony smiled a little. “Oh? What about the rest of my kisses?”

“You’ll still have them,” Bucky promised. “But now you have to add a thousand of your own.”

“Mhmm, and considering our lives, do I have to add another thousand when I scared you again?”

“Uh-huh, and I’ll add a thousand more when  _I_ scared  _you_.”

Bucky’s hands still shook a little when they wrapped around Tony’s waist, but Bucky was smiling a little, so Tony took it as a win.

“I guess we’ll be in debt forever, then,” Tony muttered, eyes closing. Bucky held on tighter.

“Forever and ever, doll.”

Tony lets out a small laugh, already halfway into the dream world now that he has warmth and Bucky around him. He mumbled out ‘forever and ever’ that trailed off as he went to sleep. Before he was lost in the darkness, he felt the warm press of soft lips against his forehead, and he welcomed the darkness with a smile.

**END**


	3. Bonus

Sam stared through the small opening of the door, at the two idiots that seemed to have started kissing left and right though the compound and giving panic attacks to the other people that lived alongside of them. He slowly closed the door shut, careful not to make any noise, and turned towards the sorrowful faces of Steve, Natasha, and Clint. Bruce was sitting beside Sam’s space, casually reading something from his tablet, much more relaxed now that he knows Tony was going to be alright.

“Still think that they’re a bad idea?”

“Bucky Barnes and the Winter Soldier were both womanizers,” Natasha said harshly, glaring at the closed door. “Bucky was a natural playboy and the Winter Soldier was methodical in his flirting and making women do what he wanted, so you see why I was very concerned about the idea of them ever getting together? Stark, for all his fault, doesn’t do anything by halves. When he loves,  _he loves_ , and it hasn’t been that long since we’re finally friends again, that he  _trusts_  us again, and like hell I was letting  _Bucky’s_  libido ruin that by trying to get into Tony’s pants.”

“Tony’s not a girl, though. And Bucky's not really either or both of those, not anymore,” Clint pointed out. “I’m not saying I approve. I can buy them being friends, but lovers? I can’t see them last long. They might be happy and lovey-dovey now, but a few years into the future? In the end of the day, they have a past that they can't erase. Eventually, it'll become problem. When they break up, we all have to take sides again, and it’ll suck. It won't even be an all-out fighting this time. It will the the kind with awkward silences and we have to divide ourselves between sides and I _hate_  taking sides. We’re barely held together as it is and Tony might forgive, but he doesn’t forget. The trust we finally built up to now will be shot to hell, and we might going to lose Tony _and_ Bucky entirely. And we all know how much  _that_  sucks.”

Steve looked pinched. “But, if they’re happy…. Then we should support it, shouldn’t we? Bucky, he’s been better,  _happy_. And, I think, so was Tony. I’m still not sure if it was wise for them to be together, I know it’ll be… catastrophic, for both of them and for us if something happens and they break up, but… I mean, in the end, it’s their choice, right? We should support them, as their friends. You've seen Bucky when he brought Tony out of the water, Nat. He really does love Tony, I don't doubt that.”

Nat glared at nothing and just shrugged, while Sam nodded and turned to Bruce, who the noticed he was being looked at by four pair of eyes.

“Hey, don’t look at me. I’m happy if they’re happy. If Bucky breaks Tony’s heart, Hulk will just break him back,” Bruce said, still focusing on his reading.

"And if Tony breaks Bucky's heart?" Steve asked, smiling a little. Bruce pointed at Steve, "Then it's your job to break Tony, but let's face it, Hulk will stand in your way."

Clint threw his arms in exasperation. "See! There's sides already! This is what I'm talking about!"

Sam put his hands up, palm wacing outwards in calming gestures. “Well, as for _me_ , as long as they’re both consenting adults, I have no problem with them getting together. Though I have to say it really surprised me when I first saw them kissed. It was sweet, I didn’t think either of them had it in them to be  _sweet_. Forehead kisses, cheek kisses, I think cotton candy could be  _less_  sweet.”

Natasha was still glaring, but the line on her mouth softened, while Clint simply shrugged. Steve nodded in agreement, though there was still hesitancy in his eyes. Sam weren’t surprised, they had worked hard in earning back Tony’s trust, and didn’t want it jeopardized for a fling. But, remembering what he saw back in the room, he didn’t think it was as ephemeral as they thought it was. 

Oh well. In the end, they’re the observers. If they’re happy, then he’s happy. And Sam was pretty sure, both Bucky and Tony had smiled the brightest whenever they both have their kisses of the day.

**Author's Note:**

> in tumblr: http://valeriacreativecenter.tumblr.com/post/164406428405/winteriron-1000-kisses


End file.
